Why I Am Voting for Rodrigo Duterte

I always make an effort to vote with my head, not with my heart. Sometimes, my heart agrees. Sometimes, it does not. But this time, my heart and my head are in complete sync. They are telling me to vote for Rodrigo Duterte. I am voting for him because he is the most progressive presidential candidate that this country has ever had, a claim which I will go into briefly in this article.

I am aware that my vote will be just one out of millions. But it's mine. And I figured that I need to give it a careful consideration even if it gets drowned out by the mass of votes cast for everyone from Duterte to Poe to Roxas to Binay to Santiago and Darna. And I need to be able to communicate why I cast that vote, at least to myself.

Duterte, who was vice mayor of the City then, articulated that discrimination "is divisive and a barrier to social integration between and among peoples of different faiths, beliefs, sexual orientations, physical attributes and discordant loyalties."

Filipino nationalists have to get a grip and face reality that we are a fragmented country geographically and ethnoliguistically. Asserting that we have the same needs as a nation doesn't work very well for a country that is as diverse as the Philippines.

For a crash course on why this country needs federalism, you ought to watch this video below:

Are you sick and tired of the traffic in EDSA? Then, federalism could just solve one of these long standing woes of the capital. Federalism will decentralize not only power but economic opportunities being concentrated in Metro Manila and distribute it amongst other regions. This system will render each "state" autonomous in terms of managing their economic policies and attracting businesses and investments.

Federalism will allow each state to use the money they make instead if sending a bulk of it to the Imperial Capital, and then the surplus will be re-allocated to them.

This is the whole point of Duterte on why he supports federalism. He wants to spread out economic opportunities in the entire Philippines, and not accumulate wealth within Metro Manila alone. State governments will be in competition against each other, which means they will have to work hard to come up with the best and most attractive economic policies that will bring investors in. Ultimately, this will benefit the entire country.

And size doesn't have anything to do with federalism. Switzerland and Austria have federal governments and they are smaller than the Philippines.

Duterte has the political will to even out power and wealth

Duterte could be a great president. He could be not. But that's exactly why I'm voting for him. If he wins, there's at least that 50% chance that he's going to kick ass and challenge the current system, which I'm quite sure the other presidentiables would love to maintain because they benefit from it.

But most importantly, Duterte has become a great movement leader. He connects well with everyone - old and young equalists (like I am) who dream of a free and equal society, men and women, the middle class, idealists and pragmatists, like no other politician could.

Duterte has been obviously effective in energizing this nation by leading a new movement of committed and politically conscious Filipino millennials. He has shaken the complacent and corporation-friendly centrist and right wingers of this country to their sycophantic, self-assured core. He has stood tall against the blitzkrieg of the bigoted shitheads and conservatives that comprise most of this country's political base.

And if Duterte doesn't win, I want the next president to be majestically scared to death to irritate this Duterte-led movement. I want the next president to think that if they turn their back on any of us - the women, the LGBT, the idealistic millennials, the leftists and the clamoring Filipino who is fed up of the present system - they will face the fury of the Duterte-engaged and enraged Filipino.

I want the next president to be made fully aware of what kind of politics this new breed of enlightened Filipino aspires for that they will start working on getting their presidential ass in the left lane and never, ever contemplates on swerving back the yellow line. We want freedom. We want equality. And we want it now!

This is why I am voting for Duterte. To assist the million of other Duterte supporters send a translucent and resounding battle cry: we're fucking here. And we're watching you. And you have got to serve our interests. The interest of the people, not just the privileged few. The interest of the oppressed and the marginalized, not just the elites. Because if not, there will be blood. And there will be chaos. And you're not going to like it.

You vote how you will. I won't contend or vilify your choice. We're a democracy and I am voting for Duterte. Both my head and my heart are in perfect harmony.